KNOW what can happen to people who are seen as the white knights," said Bill Kenwright, (pictured right).

He was speaking on the day he freed Everton from the clutches of a previous, flawed ruler.

It was a perceptive, if not to say prophetic, statement.

Five years and seven months later, Kenwright's own regime is coming under greater scrutiny than ever before from inside and outside the Goodison boardroom.

And there is a sense among fans that the club has reached a point of crisis, a crisis which must be resolved now - before it is too late.

The spotlight on the chairman has been intensifying ever since he succeeded Peter Johnson.

Today, just weeks before the start of the new season, it has never been stronger.

Kenwright is locked in a power struggle with rival shareholder Paul Gregg, who wants the club to accept new investors under a plan which he says will generate millions.

Kenwright, says Gregg, is standing in the way of such progress.

Today one influential set of fans, the Everton Shareholders Association, tried to force the pace by calling for True Blue Holdings - the vehicle which holds the bulk of the Everton shares - to be dissolved..

These minority shareholders have also gathered enough support to force an extraordinary general meeting.

Whilst they have little real power, their call will be a psychological blow to Kenwright.

And Gregg has promised to reveal even more details of his plans in the next 48 hours.

The clock is ticking. Kenwright first made a play for control of the Goodison boardroom in the summer of 1994, when the Moores family announced the end of an era by severing their ties with the club.

He was outmanoeuvred by Peter Johnson. But when Blue Peter's reign ended in a maelstrom of controversy four years later, he was the only runner in the race.

"The last time I was involved in a takeover battle I asked myself questions," he said. "Was I good enough? Was I fooling myself? I was also swayed by some fans, but now I'm pretty certain that I'm the right man for this."

Sir Philip Carter was restored as chairman - although deputy-chairman Kenwright was clearly the man calling the shots - and a new board constituting Paul Gregg, (left), and Jon Woods put in place.

The successful takeover was formally completed on Boxing Day 1999, while Walter Smith's side were demolishing form-team Sunderland 5-0 at a vibrant Goodison Park.

Things would rarely be as happy again.

Kenwright sanctioned a #15m-plus spending spree by manager Walter Smith on the promise of sponsorship from cable company NTL.

The deal collapsed at the 11th hour, leaving the manager to pull apart his squad almost as soon as he had assembled it.

On the pitch, the Blues slid from one catastrophe to the next and in March 2002 Walter Smith was sacked, barely a month after he had been allowed to spend a further #4.4m on Tobias Linderoth and Lee Carsley, plus a free transfer of David Ginola.

David Moyes' impact was immediate and astonishing.

Aided by the emergence of a supremely talented youngster from the youth ranks at Goodison called Wayne Rooney, Everton finished seventh in the Premiership and narrowly missed out on a place in the UEFA Cup.

Rooney was injured during the pre-season build-up for 2003-04. The season started inconsistently, was marred by a nightmare November, a fraught February and effectively ended with a 3-1 defeat of Spurs in April.

The Blues finished on their lowest points total in 115 years of league football, heralding one of the most turbulent close-seasons in the club's history.

Wayne Rooney's stunning successes in Euro 04 were tarnished for Evertonians by the knowledge that a record-breaking #50,000 a week contract lay unsigned in a Goodison office.

Then chief executive Michael Dunford left the club on the same day that chairman Sir Philip Carter was asked to stand down along with long-serving director Keith Tamlin.

Trevor Birch was announced with a fanfare as Dunford's successor. "I knew within minutes he was the right man for the job," said Kenwright. Unfortunately Birch knew within six weeks the job was not right for him. He quit.

This week, Arthur Abercromby resigned, leaving a boardroom triumvirate of Bill Kenwright, Jon Woods and Paul Gregg, with Woods publicly declaring his support for the chairman.

Everton now seems rudderless. There is no chief executive and the two most important board members (out of a measly three) are at loggerheads.

The message from supporters, meanwhile, is clear.

Ian MacDonald, the vice-president of the Everton Independent Supporters Club, sums it up:

"Evertonians can see the sands of time on a long and illustrious history in the top flight are finally running out. It has been coming for a long time. We've had warnings for many years, but supporters are saying it will take a miracle if we stay in the Premier-ship before a ball has even been kicked in anger.

"Has anyone ever said that before about this proud club? We are not doom and gloom merchants. We are realists.

"Everton could be relegated because of boardroom upheaval, part-time ownership and full-time shambles. Everything has come home to roost in this summer of discontent.

"I implore the men in charge, on behalf of everyone who loves the club, to settle their differences or stand aside.

"We are told there are lifeboats ready to put to sea in the shape of potential investors. I urge them not to disappear while the men at the helm are arguing."

Change is in the air. And for the fans of an ailing Everton Football Club, it can't come quickly enough.